Method of forming boiler-headers.



UNITED STATES Patented March 29, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.-

JAMES P. SNEDDON, OF BARBERTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE STIRLING COMPANY,OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

METHOD OF FORIVIING BOlLEFl-HEADERS.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 755,718, dated March 29,1904.

Application filed February 14, 1903. Serial No. 143,349. (No model.)

following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to a method of forming hollow or tubular metalarticles provided with Hanged holes in two opposite side walls thereof,such as wrought-metal headers for Niclausse and similar boilers and thelike.

The object of my invention is to provide a method of forming sucharticles whereby the Hanges of oppositely-arranged holes will beperfectly true and in alinement with each other.

In the manufacture of wrought-metal headers for steam-boilers the usualprocess employed is to take a tube of the desired dimensions and by oneor more steps form the same into rectangular shape in cross-section andgive it the desired irregular outline longitudinally, the latterpreferably consisting in forming transverse corrugations in two oppositeside walls of the header, and preferably the corrugations on theopposite walls are arranged alternately, so as to give the shaped tube astaggered or serpentine form. After this shaping of the tube holes areformed in the two opposite Hat walls of the header, and then the metalsurrounding these holes is turned outwardly to form Hanges in order toprovide proper seats for the tubes or handholds. The Hanges of the holeson the two opposite walls of the header are turned outwardly, so that itrequires at least two separate operations for Hanging all theV holes inthe header, one operation for Hanging the holes in one wall and anotheroperation for Hanging the holes in the opposite wall. Inasmuch as thewater-tubes of the boiler preferably are in an inclined position, theholes in the opposite walls will not be directly opposite each other,but will be slightly inclined one with reference to the other. Inasmuchas the Hanges must'be turned so as to be parallel with the axis of theWater-tubes, it is necessary during the Hanging to support the headerupon an anvil or bed having an inclined supporting-face, so that whenthe Hanging-tool is/ forced down perpendicularl y it will give theproper incline to the Hanges. As a result two separate and distinct setsof dies must be employed for Hanging thev holes in the two oppositewalls of the header. As a result of Vthese two separate and distinctoperations and the two separate and distinct sets of dies the Hanges ofoppositelyarranged holes are liable not to be in exact alinement witheach other. Furthermore, the Hanging must be done at a good forgingheat, and the shrinking of the metal after Hanging is also liable tocause a variation in the alineelnt of the Hanges of oppositely-arrangedo es.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method for formingwrought-metal boiler -headers and similar tubular articles having Hangedholes in two opposite walls thereof, whereby variation andirregularityin the alinement of the Hanges of oppositely-arranged holesis Overcome.

To this end the invention consists, gener,-

` ally stated,- in forming the wrought-iron tubular article into thedesired shape, with holes in opposite walls thereof and Hanges aroundsaid holes, and thereafter bringing the Hanges of oppositely-arrangedholes into alinement,

such as by forcing a pin or plunger into or through said holes, thispreferably being done while the header is cold, so that no subsequentwarping or shrinking will take place.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side view of a corrugatedtube suitable for forming a boiler-header. Fig. 2 illustrates theHanging of the metal around the holes on one side of said tube. A Figlis a similar view illustrating the Hanging of theopposite side,

and Fig. 4 illustrates the manner of bringing the Hanges ofoppositely-arranged holes into alinement.

My invention is applicable to wroughtmetal headers or other articles ofany preferred shape, providing only they have Hanged holes in twoopposite walls thereof. In the drawings I have shown the same applied toa corrugated or serpentine wrought-metal header, this being a formcommonly used; but it will be understood that the invention is notlimited thereto. The header itself may be formed in any suitable way andby any suitable apparatus-suoli, for instance, as taking a round tubeand at one or successive steps bringing it into the desiredcross-section and to the desired longitudinal shape-such, for instance,as making it rectangular in crosssection and providing it withtransverse corrugations, as illustrated in Fig. l. After the tube hasbeen properly shaped holes are formed in the two Hat walls 3 of saidheader, said holes being made in any preferred way, preferably bydrilling the same. The header is then reheated and the metal surroundingsaid holes is turned outwardly to form Hanges 4. This Hanging can bedone in any suitable way and by any suitable apparatus; but preferablythe header will be supported upon a suitable anvil or die 5,havingopenings or recesses 7, corresponding in number,dimensions, and positionto the holes in the walls of the tube: The Hanges are preferably formedby forcing through the holes suitable yimplements or projectiles 8,which may be either spheres, half-spheres, section of ellipses, sectionof cones, or other suitable shape, but for convenience of illustrationare shown as spheres. These are forced through the holes in thesupported wall of the header by suitable plungers 9, actuated by anysuitable mechanismH such, for instance, as a hydraulic cylinderor, viceversa, the anvil or die 5 may be actuated to secure the same effect. Ineither event the projectiles will be forced through the holes in thewalls of the header and form outwardly-turned Hanges thereon. Preferablyall of the holes in one wall of the header will be Hanged at a singleoperation, after which the holes in the opposite wall will be treated inthe same way. Inasmuch as the water-tubes of the boiler are inclined,the Hanges must be inclined with reference to the longitudinal axis ofthe header, andas a consequence the anvil or bed 5 will be formed withan inclined supportingface. 'Separate anvils or beds must be providedfor Hanging the holes in the opposite walls of the header, inasmuch assaid anvils must have their supporting-faces sloping in oppositedirections. In Fig. 2 is shown a suitable arrangement of anvil andplungers for Hanging the holes in one side of the header and in Fig. 3 asimilar arrangement for Hanging the holes in the opposite side of theheader. During the Hangingoperation the header will of course be at agood working or forging heat, and usually it will be found necessary togive it two heats, one for Hanging the holes in one wall thereof andanother for Hanging the holes in the opposite wall thereof. In any eventthere will bc two distinct and separate operations for Hanging the holesin the two opposite walls, as well as two distinct and Hanges ofoppositely-arranged holes are liable not to be in proper alinement, and,furthermore, as the beatings for the two operations are liable not to beexactly uniform there may be variation in shrinkage between the Hangesof the two opposite sides, and, furthermore, the shrinkage is liable tocause a slight warping of the Hanges. Any variation in the alinement inthe Hanges in the two oppositely-arranged holes, whether caused by anyof the above reasons or for any other reason, I correct by the operationillustrated in Fig. 4. This consists in placing the header upon asuitable anvil or bed 10, having an inclined supporting-facecorresponding to the angle of inclination of the Hanges, and thenforcing into or through the oppositely arranged holes a tapered plungeror pin 11 of greater length than the cross-section of the header, sothat it will simultaneously engage the two holes in the opposite wallsof the header by faces which are in exact alinement with each other,thus bringing the Hanges of the opposite holes i'nto alinement. This pinmay be forced through the holes by any suitable mechanism, butpreferably by a hydraulic press. The effect of this is to bring theHanges of oppositely-arranged holes in to true alinement with eachother, and inasmuch as the operation preferably takes place when theheader is cold ther e will be no subsequent shrinking or Warping whichwill affect the alinement of the Hanges.

The mode of carrying out my method will be readily understood from theforegoing description,and it will also be readily understood that bymeans thereof the headers or other tubular articles will have the Hangesof oppositely-arranged holes in exact alinement with each other.

While I have shown and described my in-A vention more particularly withreference to the formation of corrugated or serpentine boiler-headers, Iwish it understood that it is not limited thereto, as it is equally asWell applicable to the formation of boiler-headers of any other shapethan corrugated or serpentine, such as plain rectangular headers, aswell aS tubular articles of other kinds than boilerheaders, but havingoppositely arranged Hanged holes therein. It is also applicable to theformation of boiler-headers or other tubular articles wherein the Hangessurround; ing the holes therein are perpendicular to the axis of thearticle instead of inclined with reference thereto.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The method of making wrought-metal headers and other tubulararticles, which consists in forming a wrought-iron tube into the desiredshape with holes in opposite walls thereof and Hanges around said holes,and thereafter bringing the Hanges of oppositelyarranged holes intoalinement by forcing into IOO IOS

IIO

said holes in such manner as to engage the anges of both holessimultaneously, means provided with two faces in eXact alinement witheach other.

5 2. The method of making Wrought-metal headers and othertubular'articles, which consists in forming a wrought-iron tube into thedesired shape with holes in the opposite walls thereof` and flangesaround said holes, and then forcing a pin or plunger'of greater lengththan the cross-section of the article into oppositelyarranged holes andbringing the flanges thereof into alinement.

3. The method of making wrought-metal headers and other tubulararticles, which consists in forming a wrought-iron tube into the desiredshape with holes in opposite walls thereof and flanges around saidholes, and then when cold forcing a pin or plunger of greater O lengththan the cross-section of the article into oppositely-arranged holes andbringing the flanges thereof into alinement.

a 4. The method ofv making wrought-metal headers and other tubulararticles, which con- 5 sists in forming a wrought-iron tube into thedesired shape with holes in opposite walls thereof, forming anges aroundthe holes in one wall thereof, thereafter forming anges around the holesin the opposite walls there- LO of, and then while cold bringing theflanges of oppositely-arranged holes into alinement by forcing into saidholes'in such manner as to engage the lianges of both holessimultaneously, means provided with two faces in exact alinement witheach other.

5. The method of making wrought-metal headers and other tubulararticles, which consists in forming a wrought-iron tube into the desiredshape with holes in opposite walls thereof, forming iianges around theholes in one wall thereof, thereafter forming fianges around the holesin the opposite wall thereof, and then forcing a pin or plunger ofgreater length than the cross-section of the article throughoppositely-arranged holes and bringing the flanges thereof intoalinement.

6. rlhe method of making wrought-metal headers, which consists informing a wroughtiron tube into the desired cross-section and withtransverse corrugations on two opposite walls thereof and holes in thetwo remaining walls thereof, flanging the metal surrounding said holes,and then forcing a pin or plunger of greater length than thecross-section of the header through oppositely-arranged holes andbringing the iianges thereof into alinement.

In testimony whereof I, the said JAMES P. SNEDDON, have hereunto set myhand.

JAMES P. SNEDDON.

Witnesses:

E. E. BAKER, J. C. FRANK.

